For all of Northeast Ohio's measures toward sustainability, recycling, locally sourced food, farmer's markets, and, most importantly, telling everyone how awesome we are at those things, it appears that all the good being done on the shores of Lake Erie is no match for all the bad being done in the rest of the state.

Ohio ranks fifth in energy consumption, and very little of this demand is met by alternative energy. Only 0.7% of the state's energy comes from renewable sources, the worst rate in the country. The majority of the state's energy comes from coal. Along with this tendency comes a long and poor record of pollution. The state ranks 47th for CO2 emissions from fossil fuel combustion, 46th for toxic exposure, 47th for developmental toxins released, and 47th for reproductive toxins released. Additionally, the state ranks second worst, just behind Florida, for hazardous waste violations since 2000, as reported by the nonprofit group OMB Watch. Ohio may not rank dead last in an extreme number of subcategories, however its overall extremely poor showing causes it to be ranked as the least environmentally friendly state on our list.

We're protesting the dubious ranking by throwing all seven PCs in Scene's offices in a coal-powered furnace and then ordering rare bison meat from Alaska (which we'll have shipped overnight). Who's with us?